Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Ministry Remnants: Gifts in Darkness

 When we are in the darkness, we see nothing;
for once our experience is true.

To preach as a calling is a thing beyond words.
It calls us to use words.
And we leave words unsaid while saying too many.

This is about words unsaid. Or more specifically, some particular words left unsaid. There is no room to list the too many said.

In speaking of trials I spoke of Jesus in the desert, tempted of Satan. Considered broadly I tried to understand how our trials develop us; how God can speak even in darkest place; how God is best heard in the darkest place, for reasons.

Reason one, perhaps: in the dark place we feel our need most keenly and best receive help.

There are other reasons to be sure.

The one I stretch to grasp goes something like this: When we are in the darkness, we see nothing and for once our experience is true. For often we think we see when, in truth, we do not. It is the human condition to know what we don't know. Better to know we do not see and cry out for sight. Dark times help us do that. Much as we hate them, they are a way of hope and help.

These are remnants, left unsaid but wept over. There is more purpose in our trials than we can know. Even the inexplicable details, the faults, the impossible wait. The trial is a gift that helps us open our heart to God. When we push the trial away, it is God we lose.

As my friend, Loy, has it so often, echoing the Psalmist: Selah.

- - -

Next time I will morsel some crumbs about how it can be that these trials prepared Jesus for his ministry.  

Jesus needed preparation? How can that be?





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